The one that speaks to us incessantly. That voice we trust to make the right decisions, to keep us on a positive path, even when others try to bring us down.

But what happens when that voice changes?

When it's no longer a voice of reason, a voice of comfort giving us a pep talk when we need one?

What happens when that inner voice turns into a bully?

You're fat.

Don't you dare eat that.

You'll never be as pretty as her

You'll never be as good as them.

You're lazy. You're stupid.

You are disgusting.

You. Are. Nothing.

What happens when that inner voice makes your body takes its side?

Binge.

Purge.

Binge.

Purge.

And what happens when the bully starts to win?

If your name is Alina Cassidy, then you fight like hell.

Warning: Deals with subject matter some readers might find sensitive. But I promise an HEA.

REVIEW

5 “Bully” Stars

Fighting Weight is an emotional and personal journey. Alina is you, she’s me, she’s anyone that struggles with voice in their head. When she meets Slater, everything isn’t magically better. But as she follows her journey, her hero is there to fight along side her as she wins her own battle. Slater may be famous and untoucbleable, but when he meets Alina, her spirit shines even when she tries to hide it. This rock star romance blew me away and left an imprint on my heart.

Alina has been fighting a losing battle with her mental health for years. The only person in her life that shows any kind of support is her brother. Beyond that they tear her down so it’s no wonder that her inner voice is the bully that speaks the loudest. Her fight with bulima takes over her life until she’s ready to make a change.

Slater is a rockstar on the rise. He famous, good looking and can get any woman he wants. But when Alina and her band audition as an opening act, he’s captivated. There is just something about the shy girl that calls to him. He can see she’s fighting something and wants nothing more than to be by her side as she fights. But her battle isn’t easily won and Slater has to figure out if it’s something he can win.

Ms. Jones wrote an honest story about the struggle many people face. It was heartbreakingly raw in places but it was also heartwarming and beautiful in the end. The story has a perfect balance of emotion, sexy times and romance with a message of hope and the power of being your own savior.

Rules to Join The
Neighborhood Watch:
1. If you see something, say something
2. Report all illegal activities to the authorities
3. Do not associate with criminals
4. And certainly don't fall for them!
Tori Bellows is a really good friend. She's always there when a shoulder is
needed to cry on, to give dating advice, or for a good ol' time. Now, though,
Tori is the one who needs a shoulder to lean on when she's in a tough spot. But
all of her friends are too busy with their own lives.
Enter the Twin Estates' resident bad boy, Landon Edenhoff. When he offers her
an all expenses paid vacation, she's immediately suspicious - he's rarely nice
and his intentions are never good. But she's ready for a change of scenery and
knows she can give as good as she gets from Mr. Rude & Nasty himself.
After all, how bad could this neighbor really be?

Best. Of. The. Series. Hands Down! Neighborhood Watch is dark and gritty but still laugh out loud worthy and sexy as sin. It’s perfectly Stylo. Landon and Tori come head to head in this installment of the Twin Estates and nothing is left intact. Just the way it should be.

Tori is everyone’s best friend. She’s the fun one. The one you go to when you need something. Now, when it should be her turn, everything falls apart. All her friends are busy living their HEA’s and just when she thought maybe she was ready for her own, that turned sour real quick. Enter Landon. He’s the bad twin. The doctor gone wrong. He’s basically the opposite of everything Tori needs or wants and yet there is something entirely too compelling about him. He’s irreverent, nasty, rude but undeniably attractive. When Tori is at her worst, Landon offers her something that seems too good to be true — an all expense trip paid to the beach. Knowing he’s always up to no good, Tori still accepts because if there is one person who can put Landon in his place, it’s her. At least that’s what she tells herself. But as is the norm in her life at the moment, it all falls apart when they fall in bed. Or maybe it all falls together when they fall in bed. It’s all very confusing. The hormones make it hard to think. And just when Tori feels like she’s finally got a hold of her emotions and a hold of Landon, well it all literally goes to hell.

I loved this book and these characters. The darker tone and storytelling was what made me fall in love with the author’s writing in the first place. Neighborhood Watch is kind of if the original Twin Estates trilogy had a baby with The Mercenaries series and The Kane series babysat. It’s all kinds of dark deliciousness with just enough humor thrown in to make you know you’re still in the Twin Estates. And let’s not forget the chemistry between Tori and Landon. *melts into puddle on the floor* This book kept me on my toes, begging for more, questioning everything and had the most perfect ending I could have ever wanted.

Crazy woman
from a remote location in Alaska (where the need for a creative mind is a
necessity!), I have been writing since ... forever? Yeah, that sounds about
right. I have been told that I remind people of Lucille Ball - I also see
shades of Jennifer Saunders, and Denis Leary. So basically, I laugh a lot, I'm
clumsy a lot, and I say the F-word A LOT.

I like dogs
more than I like most people, and I don't trust anyone who doesn't drink. No, I
do not live in an igloo, and no, the sun does not set for six months out of the
year, there's your Alaska lesson for the day. I have mermaid hair - both a
curse and a blessing - and most of the time I talk so fast, even I can't
understand me.

That’s how the whole neighborhood refers to the apartment where I live with three other college students. It’s a bit judgmental, considering the neighborhood we live in is more like a zoo than an apartment complex, but not inaccurate. If you put that many young guys together, things are bound to be interesting. I still maintain that the giant water guns filled with poison ivy water were not my idea.

January Dixon.

She’s the girl I’ve lusted after for years. A smart mouth and sharp tongue surrounded by soft beauty and a body I’d give up an organ just to touch. An important organ, like a kidney, not one of those lame ones like a gallbladder.

It’s a tricky situation since she lives right down the street, and dating a neighbor generally isn’t a good idea. But this is Violent Circle, where normal may as well be a dirty word. Thanks to an impromptu fashion show where I tossed all self-respect aside and strutted my stuff in full bondage gear in front of our small town, she now owes me a date.

And I plan to collect,

Review

Book 2 in the Violent Circle series!!

This is January and Noble's story who we met in Scarlet Toys.

Jani doesn't have time for relationships and she doesn't want one. Doing her job and looking after her mom is a full time job. Plus she saw what falling in love did for her mom and she is determined not to go down that route.

Since the first time he saw her Noble knew he wanted Jani. He'd do anything to get her including making a complete fool of himself in bondage gear! He calls in the debt of doing that by making Jani go on a date with him.

Jani is surprised there is more to Noble than she thought, he's not your typical frat boy and she decides to give him a chance.

Both of their lives are hectic, Nolan has just got a scholarship to continue school and also a part time job. They find peace in each other's arms but will life manage to keep them apart?

Great second book in the series. I really like both these characters. I was expecting Jani to be the one to push Noble away with her fears but she was the more stable of the two. She's a lot of fun and i loved how caring she was with her mom and bestie Cassidy.

Noble is really kind of sweet and i loved how he wasn't afraid to make a fool of himself at any time. I could of clipped him round the ear near the end but thankfully he pulled his finger from his behind and once again made a fool of himself for love.

The story was sweeter than i thought it may be. There were some funny parts mostly from Noble but i didn't find this one as funny as Scarlet Toys. There was less going on i think and more to do with their relationship which is fine but i thought it just lacked a little compared to book one.

The writing was brilliant and engaging and i picked it up and didn't put it down. The side characters are great to read. All the neighbors are funny and i'm hoping they all get books even the resident drunk! lol It was also great to catch up with Cassidy and Wyatt!

The ending was not your typical HEA but i was strangely happy with it! Looking forward to the next book in the series!

Reviewed by Kerry

Excerpt

“So, we just chuck it out there and drag it in?” I ask.

“Pretty much. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to feel if you’ve caught something or if it’s just trapped between rocks. It’s not very rock here, so it’s a good beginner spot.”

A cute smile flashes across his face as he asks me, “Are your ready?”

“Let’s do it.”

“Later, beautiful, for now, we fish.”

A giggle escapes me as I reach for a rope. “Just show me how far to throw it.”

“We’ll do the first one together. Then we have to put some space between us so our magnets don’t find each other. When they get stuck together, they’re a bitch to pull apart.”

Handing me a pair of gloves, he grabs the rope, and we walk to the edge of the water. He throws the magnet hard, and it splashes as it disappears underwater. The current pulls a little on the rope, but the magnet is heavy enough to sink.”

Standing beside me, he says, “Just pull it nice and slow.”

“Are we still talking about the rope?” Before he can reply, I feel a slight tug. “I think I have something!”

Noble puts his hand on the rope in front of mine and tugs a little. “It’s something big.”

Excitement floods through me as I imagine all the things that could have ended up in the river. What if it’s a safe? A safe full of money!

“Keep pulling, steady and slow so you don’t lose it.”

The object is getting closer and closer, a little more and I’ll be able to see it. When I pull again, the rope won’t budge. “It’s stuck on something.”

I try to hand Noble the rope, but he moves behind me instead and reaches around my sides, gripping the rope along with me. Together, we manage to get it moving again without losing the mystery object.

My squeal of excitement make Noble laugh. “You aren’t having fun on our date, are you?” he teases

“As long as you understand I’m keeping all the money we find in the safe we’re dragging up.” His laughing scares away some nearby birds. “It's like finding buried treasure,” I add.

“Don’t worry, there’s only one booty I’m interested in.”

“Pirate puns, really?”

“So, I’ll be swabbing my own deck?”

Laughing together, we give the rope one last heave and the object clangs, flips over, and lands in the mud.

“Don’t spend all that money in one place,” Noble snorts.

“A shopping cart? Who throws a shopping cart in the river?”

Noble sloshes through the mud and yanks the magnet free. “It’s not the first one I’ve snagged.”

“What’s the best thing you’ve caught?”

He turns and grins at me, giving me the urge to kiss that little dimple. “Your eye.”

It was a completely lame response. So why do I want to throw him down in the mud and ravage him? My lack of reply just makes his smile broaden.

“Ha! No comeback and you’re blushing. I think I won that one.”

“And what do you think you’ve won?”

Noble throws the magnet back out. “Well, another date, at least.”

“We aren’t even finished with this one.” I take the rope from him.

“No, all our dates have to end with a kiss.”

The thought of his lips on mine sends a spike of excitement through me, but I can’t let him see it.

Keeping my voice as nonchalant as possible, I ask, “So if I kiss you now, we can call it a day?”

Sauntering up to me, his grin falls, and his voice deepens. “Do you want me to kiss you, January?”

The rope in my hand is forgotten, dropped to the bank as his hand cups my jaw. His palms are warm against my face. He presses his soft lips to mine for a moment, then retreats, before kissing me again, just as tenderly. It’s the sweetest kiss I’ve ever been given, and my stomach explodes in butterflies like a teenage girls. It feels wonderful.

S.M. Shade is a homeschooling mom hopelessly addicted to Dr. Pepper, love stories, sunshine, and men with full sexy lips, though not necessarily in that order. A voracious reader since sounding out her first word, she started writing as a teenager and rediscovered her love of writing as an adult. Originally from Indianapolis, she now lives in a small Kentucky town with her teenage son.

Friday, March 16

I was captured...That’s just the beginning of my tale. I’ve survived Purgatory, abuse, and near death. In that abandoned farmhouse I nearly lost everything, but Jacob saved me. We were trapped in this hell together, giving each other the strength to hold on. I fell into darkness with my captor’s son.Until I left him behind.She was perfect, my Alana. Brilliant and full of pain. She understood my darkness and fueled the fire. When she left, I waited patiently to find her, and in her honor, I killed men who took away from innocents. Then I found her...She’s deadly now, a killer too, and perfectly mine. It was beautiful to behold, but she belongs in a cage. My cage. She’ll love me again, or I’ll expose her dirty secrets for the world to see while going down in flames with her. In darkness, it’s most definitely till death do us part.

Warning: This book is full of triggers. It’s wicked dark, with created evil falling in love. People die. They are hurt horribly. The bad guys get away, and there is no apology for it. Hardcore trigger within these pages.

Leaving me to my misery, Master and the doctor left the room to speak in harsh whispers in the hallway. Curling myself into a ball, I kept crying harder and harder until I was gasping for breath. Master threw a glare my way before leading the doctor far away from my room.
The pain, the loss, shot through me like I was taking a bullet to the heart. How could I have done this? How could I put my precious little one through something this awful? I was as bad as Master. I was a monster like him. Crying harder at my thoughts, my eyes caught on the doorway in time to see someone peeking in. My body relaxed in one great whoosh. Jacob was here. He slipped into the room and crept into the bed with me. Ignoring the blood and filth on the towels, for the first time, Jacob took me into his arms. I curled into his chest, inhaling his clean, crisp scent through the tears.
“I’m sorry, Alana. I couldn’t get here sooner, and I can’t stay here long. He’ll come back soon.”
It didn’t matter. He was here now, and I clung to him, curling my fingers into his shirt and holding on desperately. In his arms, the pain dulled, and I could handle it. I could cry into his chest and be held. I could be fragile, and he’d catch the broken pieces. His lips trailed up the side of my neck, soft kisses that pushed away the agony and warmed me.
“You can do it. You’re strong enough. Hold on a little longer,” he whispered into my skin. I believed it because he did too.
So I lifted my face so his lips could touch mine.
Soft and warm, his mouth was different. He slipped over the scars of my abuse and filled in the cervices left behind. Maybe it was the medicine making me fanciful, but I thought I could ask for this. That maybe I would ask him to take me. That I’d like to have him. But then, he was pulling away.
“I have to go. I’ll be with you later. Look for me.”
And as fast as he’d come, he was gone, but the pain was behind a wall, one he’d built high. He gave me strength, and I would use it to survive. I’d done the right thing, as horrible as it was, and I knew he didn’t judge me for it. We’d done this together, and it made the load easier to bear. Master stomped his way back into the room, face scarlet and chest heaving like a locomotive. I wanted to cringe at his bald fists, but I couldn’t move. I was too tired, or too resigned maybe, to care.

Writing professionally since 2008, LeTeisha Newton’s love of romance novels began long before it should have. After spending years sneaking reads from her grandmother’s stash, she finally decided to pen her own tales. As many will do during their youth, she bounced from fantasy, urban literature, mainstream, interracial, paranormal, heterosexual, and LGBT works until she finally rested in contemporary romance.
LeTeisha is all about deep angst and angry heroes who take a bit more loving to smooth their rough edges. Love comes in many sizes, shapes, and colors, as well as with—or without—absolute beauty and fairy tale sweetness. She writes the darker tales because life is hard … but love is harder.